Broncos & NFL

CSU Rams QB Garrett Grayson eager to help at Manning Passing Academy

Garrett Grayson will be a QB counselor at the Manning Passing Academy, which begins Thursday. (Karl Gehring, Denver Post file)

FORT COLLINS — As soon as Garrett Grayson was old enough to understand what playing quarterback involved, he wanted to be one. And from the time he was 11, he longed to play football's glamour position like his favorite player — Peyton Manning.

Grayson even dreamed of following his hero's footsteps to the University of Tennessee, but the Volunteers didn't come calling. He settled for wearing Manning's No. 18 jersey once he arrived at Colorado State.

So Grayson has no trouble admitting that when he received a voice mail in March from Archie Manning, Peyton's father, saying he had been invited to the prestigious Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La., the CSU quarterback didn't exactly play it cool.

"I had a number on my phone from Louisiana, and I didn't answer it because I thought it was a wrong number," Grayson recalled. "Then I listen to the voice mail and it says, 'Hey, this is Archie Manning ...' and boom, I called him right back. I was freaking out. I called my mom and my dad right away. It's one of those moments that gives you butterflies."

When the Manning camp begins Thursday, Grayson will serve as a counselor to the 1,000-plus high school players in attendance, working alongside peers such as Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston of Florida State, Brett Hundley of UCLA and Marcus Mariota of Oregon. There also are periods that give the college quarterbacks an opportunity to spend meeting time with the Mannings. That time essentially serves as question-and-answer sessions with football royalty.

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It's easily the part of the camp Grayson is most looking forward to.

"It's been a dream of mine to pick (Peyton Manning's) brain," said Grayson, who has never met the Broncos quarterback. "I hope I can learn just one thing and bring it back here."

Grayson and the Rams are hopeful the experience will be the launching point of a successful senior season for him. After throwing for a school-record 3,696 yards last year, Grayson will enter August camp as CSU's unquestioned leader, filling in a role vacated by center Weston Richburg, who was selected 43rd overall by the New York Giants in the NFL draft in May.

CSU quarterback Garrett Grayson (18) kept the ball in the first quarter. The Colorado State University football team hosted Boise State on Nov. 2, 2013. (Karl Gehring, Denver Post file)

"Garrett's done a great job of embracing the leadership role last season and into this offseason," said Ty Sambrailo, the starting left tackle on CSU's offensive line. "He has to know what everyone is doing at all times. He has a lot of responsibility, and he's figured that all out."

A year ago, Grayson was just trying to earn the starting job. He was entrenched in an intense, three-way battle with young talents Conner Smith and Nick Stevens. Grayson was named the starter just before the Rams' season opener against Colorado, but comfort didn't immediately come with the job title.

Grayson struggled throwing the ball in a 41-27 loss to the Buffaloes. Then, in Week 2 against Tulsa, he completed only 12-of-29 passes and threw two interceptions in a 30-27 loss.

The demons of self-doubt were knocking. Grayson's sophomore season had ended in disappointment when he suffered a broken collarbone. Now, it seemed as if his opportunity to take control of the position he worked so hard to regain was slipping away.

Grayson didn't eat for 36 hours after the loss to Tulsa. He sat on the couch, sick to his stomach, trying to figure out what went wrong.

"Garrett can be real tough on himself," Sambrailo said. "No matter what happens, even if it's not his fault, he takes the blame. That's what makes him such a great leader."

On the Sunday night after that devastating loss, Grayson drove to coach Jim McElwain's office, chasing answers he didn't have.

McElwain quickly gave Grayson a vote of confidence and a mandate to lift some of the weight he was putting on himself.

Then they went over plays from the first two games, breaking down small details Grayson had missed.

"It made me look at everything differently," he said.

After the Tulsa game, the Rams went 8-4 — including a thrilling comeback win in the New Mexico Bowl over Washington State. The quarterback who was searching for answers produced a record-setting season.

Now, Grayson is hopeful that a week with the First Family of Quarterbacks in Louisiana can open the door to even greater heights.

"It's a dream come true," he said. "I'm hoping to go down there and get my name out there and represent CSU the best I can."

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